Cash-at-home: Supreme Court dismisses Justice Yashwant Varma plea challenging in-house committee probe report

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the writ petition filed by Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, challenging the in-house inquiry report that indicted him over the alleged recovery of a huge amount of cash from his official residence in Delhi.

The Bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice AG Masih further held that in-house committee’s constitution and the procedure followed by it for inquiry into the incident was not illegal.

Former CJI Sanjiv Khanna and the in-house committee scrupulously followed the process except uploading photos and video, which was not required. But nothing turned on it because Justice Varma did not challenge it then. Former CJI Khanna sending letter to the Prime Minister and the President was not unconstitutional, it noted.

While pronouncing the verdict, Justice Datta clarified that the Court had to ‘read carefully’ to ensure that no observations would prejudice the petitioner in any future proceedings.

It framed six key questions for determination, including maintainability, legal procedure, violation of rights, compliance with process, communications to executive, and liberty for future.

The Apex Court, however, kept the matter open for Justice Varna to raise proceedings if needed in the future.